Twice as many people are claiming unemployment-related benefits in some parts of Britain as were doing before the Covid-19 pandemic began.
Analysis showed that the Brent North and East Ham constituencies in London had twice as many claimants last month as before the pandemic.
The figures showed that the seat of South West Surrey, represented by Jeremy Hunt, the chancellor, had 1,190 claimants last month, a 95 per cent increase since March 2020.
In Surrey Heath, represented by Michael Gove, the levelling-up, housing and communities secretary, there were 1,395 claimants last month, 92 per cent more than before the outbreak.
The survey follows a public accounts committee report this month that revealed £8.5 billion of overpaid benefits last year. The report said the government had no clear plan to deal with “unacceptably high” levels of fraud.
The analysis was carried out by the House of Commons library, using data from the Office for National Statistics. Harrow East, West Ham, Enfield Southgate, North East Hampshire, Spelthorne, Woking, Ilford South and Tottenham all recorded an increase in claimants of 80 per cent or more since March 2020.
Birmingham Ladywood, with 11,420 claimants, had the most last month out of all 650 constituencies. This was followed by West Ham (8,515), Tottenham (8,265), Birmingham Hodge Hill (8,050), Brent Central (7,995), East Ham (7,195), Birmingham Perry Barr (7,170), Bradford West (7,150), Leeds Central (6,875) and Birmingham Hall Green (6,840).
By comparison, Na h-Eileanan an Iar, formerly Western Isles, had 295 claimants. In total across the UK, the unadjusted claimant count last month was 1.54 million. This was 3,300 more than the previous month and 304,500 more than in March 2020.
The House of Commons library noted that after the start of the pandemic, the claimant count more than doubled while the rise in unemployment was smaller. It said: “The unemployment rate is now back to pre-pandemic levels, while the claimant rate continues to be higher.”
It was suggested this was because people who do not classify themselves as being unemployed may be claiming unemployment-related benefits.